Cigna’s Mission to Help Save Lives
Story By: Stephen Cassell
At the core of Cigna is their mission to help save 100,000 lives a year. That’s the number of lives the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates would be saved if everyone in the U.S. received his or her recommended preventive care.*
It’s also important to understand that Hispanics represent 17% of the U.S. population and face significant health disparities, or avoidable and unfair differences in health status between segments of the population, and are less likely to get their preventive care than the general population.** There is also a cultural tendency to only see the doctor when you are ill, so it is very important to reinforce in the Hispanic community that preventive care is better than reactive care.
And that’s why the Multicultural brand marketing team at Cigna has been focusing on promoting the importance of check-ups within the Hispanic community to encourage wellness over only treating sickness. More specifically, through a multimedia campaign approach that includes television, public relations, radio, celebrity influencer, digital, social and grassroots events in key Hispanic markets, Cigna’s made it their goal to encourage Hispanics to get their checkups, know their four health numbers (blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar and cholesterol) and take control of their health.
“Preventive care is an important part of staying healthy, but we know that people in the U.S. only use preventive services at about half the recommended rate,*** even though most health plans completely cover preventive health services when visiting a doctor in your plan’s network”**** Cigna’s Vice President of Global Branding Stephen Cassell said. “Getting a regular checkup - even when you are in seemingly good health – and knowing your four health numbers --- blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar and cholesterol --- are the best prevention against a serious illness and may potentially help detect health issues early.” Research shows that being aware of these four health numbers can help prevent chronic disease and help control health care costs.*****
To that end, Cassell added that, “it is important for Cigna to continue building awareness within the Hispanic community, to motivate individuals to take action to better understand and control their health, by focusing on preventive care and developing a relationship with their physician. For Cigna, delivering the campaign message in a culturally-relevant way that resonates with the Hispanic community is crucial in driving action and encouraging positive behavior for better health.”
SOURCES
* www.cdc.gov/prevention/
** www.cigna.com/assets/docs/health-care-professionals/hispanic-health-disparities.pdf
*** www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/preventivehealth.html
**** www.healthcare.gov/coverage/preventive-care-benefits/
***** www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/